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Ramban on Numbers 21:21/רמב"ן על במדבר כ״א:כ״א
אוַיִּשְׁלַח יִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִים אֶל סִיחוֹן וְגוֹ' אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ – אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִצְטַוּוּ לִשְׁלֹחַ לָהֶם לְשָׁלוֹם, פָּתְחוּ לָהֶם בְּשָׁלוֹם, לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ״י (רש״י על במדבר כ״א:כ״ב). וְעוֹד אֲבָאֵר בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם בִּמְקוֹמוֹ (דברים כ י), כִּי בְּכָל הָאֻמּוֹת נִצְטַוּוּ לִפְתֹּחַ לָהֶם לְשָׁלוֹם, חוּץ מֵעַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב. אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת מַה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ אֶעְבְּרָה בְאַרְצֶךָ, זֶה הָיָה מֹשֶׁה עוֹשֶׂה מֵעַצְמוֹ דֶּרֶךְ פִּיּוּס, כִּי אֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג יְרֻשָּׁתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיְתָה, כִּי לָאֱמוֹרִי הִיא. וְהָיָה מִן הַדִּין שֶׁאִם יַעֲנוּ שָׁלוֹם וּפָתְחוּ לָהֶם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל הָעָם הַנִּמְצָא בָהּ לָהֶם לָמַס וַעֲבָדוּם. אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ כִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַתָּה לֹא יִכְבְּשׁוּ כָּל עֲשָׂרָה עֲמָמִים, וְהָיָה חָפֵץ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל כִּבּוּשָׁם מֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן וָהָלְאָה, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מוֹשָׁבָם יַחַד, וְשֶׁהִיא הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר הִיא זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ. הֲלֹא תִרְאֶה שֶׁאִם לֹא בִּקְשׁוּהוּ מִמֶּנּוּ בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן, לֹא הָיָה מַנִּיחַ שָׁם אָדָם אֶלָּא שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לְחָרְבָּה. וְכֵן שָׁנוּי בַּסִּפְרֵי (תבא רצט): ״לָתֶת לְךָ״ - פְּרָט לְעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן שֶׁנָּטַלְתָּ מֵעַצְמְךָ. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (במדב״ר ז ח) בְּעֶשֶׂר קְדֻשּׁוֹת, שֶׁאֵין עֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן רָאוּי לְבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְלִשְׁכּוֹן הַשְּׁכִינָה. וְכֵן נִרְאֶה בַּכָּתוּב שֶׁאָמַר: ״וְאַךְ אִם טְמֵאָה אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם" וְגוֹ' (יהושע כב יט). וְלֹא שָׁלְחוּ אֶל עוֹג דִּבְרֵי שָׁלוֹם, כִּי הוּא כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה כִּי הִכּוּ אֶת סִיחוֹן יָצָא לִקְרָאתָם לַמִּלְחָמָה:
1AND ISRAEL SENT MESSENGERS UNTO SIHON, KING OF THE AMORITES, SAYING: 22. ‘LET ME PASS THROUGH THY LAND.’ “Although they had not been commanded to send them [a message of] peace, they nonetheless took the initiative in [offering them] peace.” This is Rashi’s language. I will yet explain, with the help of G-d, in its [proper] place,280 that [unlike Rashi’s explanation] they were commanded to offer peace [terms before beginning to fight] all the nations, except for Ammon and Moab. But in truth [we must say] that when Moses said to Sihon, Let me pass through your land, he did this of his own accord by way of conciliation, for the land of Sihon and Og was [part of the] inheritance of Israel, since it had originally belonged to the Amorite, [and was included in the territory promised to Israel]. Thus had Sihon and Og responded peaceably, and opened [their cities] to them, they would have been entitled [to take] all the people that are found therein tributary unto them, and they would serve them.281 But Moses [who only requested of Sihon, Let me pass through your land, and thus leave him untouched altogether] knew that Israel would not conquer now all ten nations,282 and he wanted all their conquests to be on the other side of the Jordan, and forward283 [i.e., in Canaan proper, on the western side of the Jordan] so that they should all dwell [concentrated] together, and [also because] it was the good Land284 which is flowing with milk and honey.285 Thus you see, had not the children of Gad and the children of Reuben requested it [the land captured east of the Jordan] from him [Moses] he would not have left anyone [to live] there, but [would have allowed it] to be a wasteland! And similarly the Rabbis have taught in the Sifre:286 229. “To give thee [their land]287, 26:3, and is the source of the law that the first-fruits are not brought from the land east of the Jordan. — this excludes [the land] beyond the Jordan [eastward], which you took for yourself.” Our Rabbis have furthermore said in connection with the ten [degrees of] holiness,288 that the [land on the east] side of the Jordan is not suitable for [building therein] the Sanctuary and for the dwelling therein of the Divine Glory. And so it seems [also] from Scripture, for it says, If, however, the land of your possession [on the eastern side of the Jordan] be unclean etc.289. From this it is clear that the land on the east side of the Jordan is not suitable for the building of the Sanctuary etc. Now they did not send to Og a message [offering] peace, because when he saw that the Israelites had defeated Sihon, he [immediately] went forth into battle against them [the Israelites].